SF6 Circuit Breaker

In the SF6 circuit breaker the current carrying contacts operate in sulphur hexafluoride gas is known as
an SF6 circuit breaker. It is an excellent insulating property and high electro-negativity. It can be
understood that, high affinity of absorbing free electron. The negative ion is formed when a free electron
collides with the SF6 gas molecule; it is absorbed by that gas molecule. The two different ways of
attachment of electron with SF6 gas molecules are

SF6 + e = SF6

SF6 + e = SF5- + F

SF6 Circuit Breaker

SF6 Circuit Breaker

The negative ions which are formed will be much heavier than a free electron. Therefore, when
compared with other common gases overall mobility of the charged particle in the SF6 gas is much less.
The mobility of charged particles is majorly responsible for conducting current through a gas. Hence, for
heavier and less mobile charged particles in SF6 gas, it acquires very high dielectric strength. This gas
good heat transfer property because of low gaseous viscosity. SF6 is 100 times more effective in arc
quenching media than air circuit breaker. It is used for both medium and high voltage electrical power
system from 33KV to 800KV.

Types of SF6 Circuit Breaker

Single interrupter SF6 circuit breaker applied up to 220

Two interrupter SF6 circuit breaker applied up to 400

Four interrupter SF6 circuit breaker applied up to 715V

Vacuum Circuit Breaker

A Vacuum circuit breaker is a circuit which vacuum is used to extinct the arc. It has dielectric recovery
character, excellent interruption and can interrupt the high frequency current which results from arc
instability, superimposed on the line frequency current.

Vacuum Circuit Breaker

Vacuum Circuit Breaker

In the principle of operation of VCB will have two contacts called electrodes will remain closed under
normal operating conditions. Suppose when a fault occurs in any part of the system, then the trip coil of
the circuit breaker gets energized and finally contact gets separated.

The moment contacts of the breaker are opened in vacuum, i.e. 10-7 to 10-5 Torr an arc is produced
between the contacts by the ionization of metal vapors of contacts. Here the arc quickly gets
extinguished, this happens because the electrons, metallic vapors and ions produced during arc,
condense quickly on the surface of the CB contacts, resulting in quick recovery of dielectric strength.

Advantages

VCBs are reliable, compact and long life

They can interrupt any fault current.

There will be no fire hazards.

No noise is produced

It has higher dielectric strength.

It requires less power for control operation.